The Failure of Therapy in the Management of Infertility

Pregnancy after Primary Infertility Investigation

“…Sharman (1958), in a follow-up of 2,390 patients with primary infertility, variously investigated and treated, for one year during a 15-year period 1940-55, obtained a minimum pregnancy rate of 10.8% where merely a bimanual examination had been carried out, but more than double this rate (22.30/%) when full hospital in-patient investigation and therapy had been done. On the other hand, Barns et al (1953) believe that the therapeutic value of infertility investigation and treatment is slight, basing this on finding a pregnancy rate of only 23% in 707 treated patients as against 18.4% in 501 untreated patients. Contraception…”

“…On the other hand, Bender (1952) and Jeffcoate (1954) both reported a conception rate of 46.3%, and Wilson et al (1959) one of 499% from the Mayo Clinic. But there have been comparatively low rates, such as 23 % in 707 cases reported by Barns et al (1953).…”

Domiciliary Obstetrics

“…'Grand multiparw": Much more dangerous is the 'Grand multipara'. This term was coined by Solomons in 1934 -and is nowadays applied to those patients who have had five, or more, Feeney(1953) andBarns (1953), all showed that complications such as pre-eclamptic toxiemia, accidental hemorrhage and abnormalities of delivery, are more common in this group than in any other. This designation applied to 17 patients and the number of previous viable infants ranged from five to ten.…”

Infertility and adoption. Follow-up of 216 couples attending a hospital clinic.

“…Little confidence has been expressed in treatment, especially of male defects; and even the standard procedures of investigation have been queried (Bender, 1952;Barns, Campbell, and Snaith, 1953). More recent writers (e.g.…”